Sound-reproducing needle



Filed May 16, 192? Patented June is, 1929.

UNITED STATES LEON r. liJoUeLAss, or memo rnnx, CALIFORNIA.

SOUND-REPRODUCING NEEDLE.

Application filed mi 16, 1927. Serial No. 191,652.

This invention relates to improvements in sound reproducing needles ofthe kind used in connection with phonographs.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved phonograph needleadapted for use with phonographs having more satisfactory wearing andreproducing qualities than the needles now in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improvedphonographneedle having a pointed needle part which upon use adapts'itself to thesize and'shape of a phonograph record groove, thereby enabling theproduction of tones that=are more satisfactory than those produced withneedles now commonly used. I

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved phonographneedle having a construction which permits its being used for a greatnumber of times with continued satisfactory results.

Other advantages more or less apparent will present themselves or willbe specifical- 1y pointed out in the description to follow.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation-of a phonograph needle embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation" of the needle'as viewed from a point atright angles to the illustration shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the needle, a part of a soundbox ofaphonograph, and a part of a phonograph record, showing theposition theneedle assumes with reference to the groove of the record when it isbeing used for the first time; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the needle and a part of a phonographicrecord, show ing the position it assumes with reference to the groove ofthe record after ,it'lias been used for some time.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents the body portion ofmy improved phonograph needle, the upper or blunt end of which may beattached in the usual manner to the sound box 2 of a phonograph or othersound reproducing device. The body portion, adjacent but below itscentral part is tapered and assumes a gradually narrower width than itsupper part, finally terminating in a slightly pointed end 3. Two of thenarrowed and opposite sides of the body portion adjacent the pointed end3, as shown by the numeral 4, are flattened, thereby 55 causing thelower end of the body portion to be of considerably less thickness thanits width. One of the sides of the body portion, above the tapered partthereof is out out or flattened, as shown at 5, to provide,- a suitablemeans for grasping the needle and properly posltioning it in operativeposition in the sound box 2 of a phonograph. The said flattened surface5 lies at right angles to the flatt ened'sides 4 of the tapered part ofthe body portion,

, and the thumbscrew 6 of the sound box 2 bears against the same whenthe needle is inserted into the sound box, thereby causing the flattenedsides 4 of the bod y ortion to become positioned crosswise in t e groove7 of a phonograph record 8.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the needle is aced in an operating positionwithin the grove 7 of the phonograph record 8, with the pointed end 3located inside the said groove and the lower end of the flattened sides4 positioned across the said groove. The needle may be so positioned bygrasping the flattened surface 5 of the body portion 1 and placing it inthe sound box of a phonograp with the flattened sides 4 extendincrosswise within the groove 7 of the recor 8. As shown iniFig. 3 thenarrow edges of the flattened sides 4 adjacent the pointed end 2 of theneedle, when the same is being used for the first time, contact againstonly a small part of the surface of the walls of the record groove 7.After continued contact, however, with the said walls of the groove ofthe rotating phono raph record 8, the edges of the flattened sides 4graduall weifi downuntil a shoulder is formed whic rests on he ridgesofthe said groove, and the pointed end occupies practically the enidgroove, as shown in tire width of the sa Fig. 4. The flattened sides 4of the body, portion 1, where contact with the walls of the recordgroove 7 occurs, gradually wear down with. the shoulders above theridges of the said groove becoming wider upon continued use.

The pointed end of the body portion 1, where the flattened sides 4occur, being much wider than its thickness, prevents a blunted end frombeing formed, as is the result with other phonograph needles uponcontinued use.

The improved needle herein shown and described, because of its flattenedend construction, may be used to play as many as three or four hundredrecords, with satis-- factory tones being reproduced in each instance. Ip

' Unlike other needles now in use, the

' pointed end of the needle, having a greater width than thickness,wears down until it assumes and for a long time maintains practicallythe same size and shape of the record groove, thereby firmlycontactingwith the walls of the said groove and assisting in the reproduction oftones which are of the most satisfactor nature.

Althoug improved reproducing needle may assume, it is evident to thoseskilled in the art that the principles of m. invention may be embodiedin a number 0 forms as satisfactor as the one illustrated. I thereforedo not esire to have invention limited to the-construc- I have shown butone form my tion shown and described but rather desire it to be includedbroadly within the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A phonograph needle comprising a body portion having a tapered endpart which is provided with flattened sides adjacent its extreme end,the lateral edges-of the said flattened sides being inclined from theend.

I 2. A phonograph needle comprising a body portion, a tapering partextending from the body portion, the said tapering part being cut awayat two of its opposite sides at points adjacent its end to pro deflattened. sides, the edges of the said flattened sides being inclinedfrom the extreme end.

- LEON F. DOUGLASS.

